One Hundred Things To Do In (and around) Eastern North Carolina

It's back! Due to popular demand, here's the 2009 version of "One Hundred Things To Do In (and around) Eastern North Carolina.

One Hundred Things To Do In And Around Eastern Carolina - 2009 Version

It's back! Due to popular demand, here's the 2009 version of "One Hundred Things To Do In (and around) Eastern North Carolina. Last year's blog came out in June and immediately started getting traffic from WITN.com readers. To this day, it's still cracking our weekly list of top 10 blogs.

Have I done everything on the list? No. I’ve tried some of the ideas on this blog, some are on my to-do list and others are ideas that people with different interests than mine have told me they enjoyed.

97. The Country Doctor Museum in Bailey, founded in 1967, is the only medical museum in the nation dedicated to rural physicians who practiced medicine in the South during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The museum collects and preserves the medical instruments and tools of pharmacy used by country doctors as well as their diaries, papers and medical books. The museum is housed in two restored 19th-century physicians’ offices. www.countrydoctormuseum.org

94. Catch a Wilson Tobs game.It’s a great old stadium, reminiscent of “The Natural”.Great ticket prices and a wonderful atmosphere. www.wilsontobs.com

93. Beaufort County has two 9 hole courses that are very easy on the wallet. Check out the Bayview Golf Club near historic Bath. Call 252-923-8191 to reserve a tee time. Don't forget “Terrapin Track” near Washington.This one is a very unique experience.Haven’t played it personally but a good friend told me it reminded him of the old Bartles & James commercials except the guys were younger. Since they don't have a website, here's the phone # .... 252-927-3204

92. When you're in Carteret County, check out The History Place in Morehead City run by the Carteret County Historical Society. You'll find exhibits, a research library, the museum store and more. There's more on their web site. Click the link and then check out their video "The Story of Carteret County". Good Stuff! http://www.thehistoryplace.org/

90. Winterville Watermelon FestivalAugust 27th-29th. On Thursday night, General Johnson & The Chairmen Of The Board take the stage. The big act on Saturday night is Craig Morgan with Randy Houser. www.watermelonfest.com

89. ECU's Summer Theatreis back on campus in the newly remodeled McGinnis Theatre. The summer's big show is Big River, based on Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. The show is scheduled to play from June 16th through the 27th.

88.Go waterskiing! The company known as "The World's Largest Watersports Dealer" got its start in Greenville and we're fortunate to have one of their two retail locations here in Eastern North Carolina (Red Banks Rd., Greenville). If you're unfamiliar with watersports, the crew at Overton's can get you hooked up. http://www.overtons.com/

79. Escape the heat and tour the exhibits at the Greenville Museum of Art.www.gmoa.org

78. Wright Brothers Monument.I know…it’s just a monument buttake some time to soak in the history surrounding the area and spend the rest of the day on the beach. You’ll be glad you did. http://www.nps.gov/wrbr/

75. When summer’s over, it’s time for the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh.Big crowds and big fun.Opens October 15th and runs through the 25th.http://www.ncstatefair.org/index.htm

74.Camping.I’ll confess that my idea of camping is a Hampton Inn but for those who are more adventurous, you can find some great camping on the Outer Banks and on the Crystal Coast. Here's a link to privately owned campgrounds on the Outer Banks. http://www.visitob.com/outer_banks/tostay/campgrounds.htm

73. The Cowan Museum in Kenansville is a hands-on learning and entertaining experience for all ages. The Cowan Museum is located in the fully restored Kelly-Farrior House (circa 1848). You’ll find over 2,000 artifacts that reflect the heritage of rural North Carolina.http://www.cowanmuseum.com/

71. The old bull isn’t there anymore and the ballpark isn’t falling apart anymore but baseball fans will love an afternoon at Durham Bulls Athletic Park watching the Tampa Bay Rays AAA affiliate.If you're not a baseball nut but you still want to check out the park, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp will take the field on July 28th to hammer out their own hits.www.dbulls.com

70. Have you been to any of Greenville’s fine independent restaurants lately?Beef Barn, Christine’s, Daily Grind and the rest….they all have something you’ll enjoy.Finelli’s and CPW’s don’t appear to be part of the group but they deserve a shout out as well.http://www.dinegreenville.com/

67. Visit Deadwood in Bear Grass described as a family owned and operated Western Theme Park.Train rides, miniature golf, arcades, a kiddie roller coaster and The Smokehouse Grill.They’re only open weekends so check their website or call before you head out to Martin County.www.deadwoodnc.com

66. Get some friends together and play 18 holes at ECU’s home course – Ironwood Country Club, just west of Greenville on Highway 43. http://www.ironwoodgolf.com/

65. Watch the ECU Pirates’ pre-season practices. The football team officially starts practicing in early august.www.ecupirates.com

62. The venue formerly known as Walnut Creek has another strong line-up this summer. Toby Keith, Coldplay, and Aerosmith with ZZ Top are some of the acts scheduled to play at the Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion At Walnut Creek. Man that's a mouthful!

61. Whirligigs, near Wilson is an amazing collection of “Whirligigs” – large, wooden, wind-driven mechanical windmills – created by local folk artist Volis Simpson. The devices incorporate complex movement and sound and are an integral part of more than 30 works erected on Simpson’s property. www.wilson-nc.com/Whirligigs.cfm

60. Belhaven Memorial Museum, Belhaven - Think you’ve seen it all? One visit to the Belhaven Memorial Museumwill surely change your mind. This museum is the result of Mrs. Eva Blount Way’s penchant for collecting buttons.

58. The Tobacco Farm Life Museum in Kenly near the intersection of I-95 and Highway 301.The museum’s goal is to preserve the special history of Eastern North Carolina’s family tobacco farms for future generations.www.tobaccofarmlifemuseum.org

57. Ayden Collard Festival -September 8 -13th, 2009
The Ayden Collard Festival got its name about 30 years ago when the town decided it needed a festival but couldn’t decide what to call it. The local newspaper held a contest, collards won out over cucumbers, and the rest is history. The festival has all the traditional elements, such as a parade, concerts, foods, arts and crafts, carnival rides, a 5K run/walk and the crowning of the Collard Queen.. www.aydencollardfestival.com

56. The State Fairs - It may be cheating to include state fairs as summer events since they generally signal the start of fall here in the east. The Pitt County State Fair is scheduled for October 5th-10th, 2009 while the Lenoir County Fair is usually held in mid-September.

55. Bike or run on the new trail system in Jacksonville Download a map. (PDF)

53. Wayne County Museum:Used in World War II as a USO, the museum memorializes Wayne County history with rotating exhibits, a permanent War Between the States exhibit, and a Wall of Fame honoring notable Wayne County natives

45.Buckner Hill Plantationin Duplin County is one of the largest antebellum plantation houses in North Carolina.The plantation was featured in the movie “Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.” http://www.carolinaplantation.com/

44. Wimpie’s in Winterville.http://www.wimpiescajun.comI love their guarantee :“If you're not served in 15 minutes, then you will be served within 25 minutes. Don't get your shorts in a knot. Relax. Bond with your guests or strangers. If you can't shake your anxiety, we will gladly give you directions to the nearest Fast Food Establishment.”Heck, even if you don’t like seafood, go read their website.It made me laugh out loud, several times.

42. Swansboro Bicycle Trail is a twenty-five mile loop which begins in Swansboro, crosses the White Oak River to Cape Carteret, then winds through the Croatan National Forest, crosses the river again and returns to Swansboro. http://onslowcountync.gov/parks/BikeTrails.aspx

38. Explore the White Oak River.Haywood Landing and the Cedar Point Recreation Area are both good launch points.Don’t be surprised if you see reptiles….snakes, large turtles and even alligators. Link is to "A Jewel of a River" which is written by David Sobotta. If that name is familiar to you, you may well pay attention to Marvin's pictures. David sends us some great ones! http://coastalnc.org/whiteoakriver/

33. One of North Carolina's newest golf courses is now ready for play. The Arnold Palmer designed Innsbrook Course is on the water in Merry Hill in Bertie County.

32.The Florida Marlins AA affiliate, The Carolina Mudcats, plays in the far eastern corner of Wake County in Zebulon.Five County Stadium is a beautiful, semi-luxurious minor league stadium.Just look for the water tower painted like a baseball as you’re driving west on 264.http://gomudcats.com

28. Yes, I love good seafood!One of my favorites is MJ’s Raw Bar tucked away on Middle Street in downtown New Bern.http://www.mjsrawbar.com/

27. Go for a dolphin watching cruise on the Diamond City out of Beaufort. They do dolphin watches in the morning and kid's Treasure Hunts in the afternoon. Also, brunch and dinner cruises are available too. http://www.mysteryboattours.com/

26. Sit out on one of the decks at Backwater Jack’s in Washington with a Shrimp Burger and your favorite cold beverage.The Fried Oysters are pretty good too! New this year: They're open Sundays and both decks are covered.

25. Before or after treating yourself at Backwater Jacks’, burn up some calories or work up an appetite paddling on the Pamlico with a kayak rental from Inner Banks Outfitters, conveniently located next door.www.innerbanksoutfitters.com

22. Visit the birthplace of Pepsi in downtown New Bern. Buy some memorabilia and sip an ice-cold Pepsi at the recreated soda fountain. And it's run by good people too. www.pepsistore.com

21. Visit Oriental and grab lunch on the water.Oriental claims to be a village of 875 people and more than 2,700 boats. http://www.visitoriental.com/

20. It’s hard to go the beach without at least checking out the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.It’s $7.00 to climb for adults.Great view but if you’re not in great shape, it’ll hurt. No time to climb? Check out our web cam instead.

14. Explore the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.It stretches over 70 miles from Nags Head down to Ocracoke.I’m told there are over 100 public waterfront access points, including free parking, along the shore. http://www.nps.gov/caha/

13. The Lost Colony – 72nd Anniversary season.Experience a 424 year-old mystery performed under the stars on Roanoke Island.Backstage tours are available.www.thelostcolony.org

10. Have you been to the “Streets at Southpoint” in Durham?Great chain eats, cool people watching and stores that can burn a hole in your wallet if you choose to do more than window shop.Nordstrom’s is something special – if money is no object.www.streetsatsouthpoint.com

7. Think about all the waterfront property between the Pamlico Sound, the Neuse River Basin, The Crystal Coast, The Outer Banks (both beach and sound side) and Albemarle Sound.My point?Get a boat and get out and enjoy the water. There are many boat dealers in the area but you may want to check out Park Boat Company in Washington. http://www.parkboat.com/

6. Eat some Eastern Carolina Barbecue.Favorites include Parker’s in Greenville, Boss Hogs in Washington and Bill's in Wilson http://www.bills-bbq.com/

4. Catch the Kinston Indians.Grainger Stadium is one of a kind and the Indians put on a great show.And they put a lot of players into the big show including Grady Sizemore, Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez. New this year: A live web cam so you can see what's happening at Grainger Stadium WITN.Com K-Tribe Camhttp://www.kinstonindians.com/

3. Dr. Beach loves Ocracoke so much he bestowed the “2007 Best Beach Award” to the island.It’s not easy to get to but it’s worth the trip.Nice B&B’s, friendly restaurants, awesome beaches and some of the best fishing on the east coast!

We live in a beautiful part of the country with access to unspoiled beaches, quaint coastal cities, historic towns and beautiful farmland. Raleigh and Norfolk are not too far away from many parts of eastern North Carolina while the southern parts of the WITN viewing area are convenient to Wilmington and Myrtle Beach.

Make sure you take advantage of all the area has to offer this summer.

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